Британдық локомотив құрастырушы компания және вагон тасымалдаушы пойыздар

British locomotive building company
car carrying passenger trains

Motor Rail was a British locomotive building company, originally based in Lewes, Sussex, they moved in 1916 to Bedford. Loco manufacture ceased in 1987, and the business line sold to Alan Keef Ltd of Ross on Wye, who continue to provide spares and have built several locomotives to Motor Rail designs.

The origins of the Motor Rail company can be traced back to the patenting of a gearbox by John Dixon Abbott of Eastbourne in 1909 ("Change speed and reversing gearbox suitable for use in motor trams", UK Patent 18314). In March 1911, he formed The Motor Rail & Tramcar Co Ltd, with his father John Abbott and brother Tom Dixon Abbott. The stated aim of the business was developing the gearbox and incorporating it in tramcars and railcars. At about the same time operations moved to Lewes, Sussex and rented space in the Phoenix Foundry of John Every, where they developed a narrow gauge rail vehicle around the Dixon Abbott gearbox using a twin cylinder water cooled Dorman engine. In January 1916, the company answered a War Department tender for military supply railways. The specification was for a gauge locomotive, with no more than 1 ton of axle load per axle, capable of hauling up to 15 tons at The same article states that the WW1 production of the Dixon Abbott gearbox was contracted out to David Brown Ltd. of Huddersfield. With over 900 such locomotives supplied to the WD and MoM, post WW1 the resultant large and cheap supply of these trench tractors opened up the use of internal combustion engine powered locomotives to many new and existing applications, where steam engines were either too heavy or too expensive thus allowing cheaper operations. The company had found its niche, and continued to build petrol and diesel engined locomotives, mainly for narrow gauge railways. In 1931, the company changed its name from Motor Rail & Tram Car Co to Motor Rail Ltd. The trade name Simplex was registered in 1953, though the name Simplex was in use by the company as early as 1915. In 1972 the company was renamed Simplex Mechanical Handling Ltd.

Fuel Horsepower Weight AKA Notes Petrol 20 2 ton 5 cwt Bow FrameOriginal trench tractor built for the War Department specification. Petrol 40 6 ton 6 cwt Upgraded and armoured version of the 20 hp, built for the Ministry of Munitions. Petrol 10/20 2 tonFirst new post WW1 design. 30 built between 1929 1940, latter version using Austin 12/4 engine. Diesel 18 4 ton/5 tonFirst diesel locomotive. First two models used the Helios 18 hp made by J. & H. McLaren Ltd. of the Midland Engine Works, Leeds. Quickly replaced by the 30HP Mercedes McLaren engine. As it cost twice as much as a similar powered petrol engine model to purchase, most went for export. Diesel 20/28 4 ton/5 tonUsed Dorman 2RB engine. Designation changed to 20/36 hp in 1932. Petrol 25/35 4 tonA more powerful heavy weight locomotive built for use by contractors from 1930 1937. Diesel 65/85 10 tonAn advanced heavy weight locomotive built in 1932, it proved unreliable and the only model produced was scrapped at the works during WWII. Diesel 25/35 4 tonReplaced 20/36 hp. Introduced in 1934 when the 2RB engine was upgraded. Uses same frame and gearbox as Petrol 25/35 hp, allowing later upgrade or inter change. Petrol 25/40One built for the Ford Motor Company at Dagenham in 1932. It used Ford AA 4 cylinder, 3 Litre side valve engine, the industrial version of the Ford Model A engine. Returned within a year, it was rebuilt and sold in 1937 to Dinmor Quarries Ltd. Petrol 25/26 2 ton/3 tonAvailable in 2 or 3 ton variants, it replaced the 20 hp from 1934 by using the more reliable Dorman 2JOR engine. Uses same frame and gearbox as the diesel powered 20/28 hp Diesel 25/28 2 ton/3 tonAvailable in 2 or 3 ton variants, it replaced the 20 hp from 1934. Uses same frame and gearbox as the petrol powered 20/26 hp

In the early stage of its development, the Motor Rail & Tram Car Company was involved in developing self propelled tramcars, though the extent of production is not clear. In 1915, The Engineer magazine reported on the Simplex Rail Coach made in Lewes with the Brush Company building the body, delivered to the South Indian Railway Company where it was expected to be run on the Pamban Viaduct line. The cars were powered by the two cylinder Dorman engine with Dixon Abbott 2 speed gearbox, and averaged over 30 mph on the test, and reached 43 mph. One of the cars was run on paraffin, though it was intended they would be run on petrol. They were lightweight at only 3.25 tons, though could carry up to 2 tons payload if required. The seating being easily removable to offer load space. In 1939, Motor Rail introduced the Motor Rail Dumper a 4 ton, 2 wheel drive dump truck (running on tyres rather than rails). It again used a Dorman engine, and a variant of the Dixon Abbot gearbox. A working example (works number 8389 of 1947) with Dorman engine can be found at the Moseley Railway Trust. According to a 1955 advert, the diesel engine dumper had a capacity of 3 cubic yards, and had six forward gears and two reverse. It would carry a load of 4 tons up a 1 in 5 gradient. It was available with front control (driver at the front facing forward), or rear control (driver looking over the load, and hence with rear wheel steering, as is common modern practice). New models of this dumper for 1960 were the MR450 with 4.5 cubic yard capacity, reversible seat, and three speeds in either direction using a Dorman 37 bhp 2LB diesel engine; and the MR375 with 3.75 cubic yards capacity and 6 forward and 2 reverse gears which had a Lister 33 bhp HA3 air cooled engine.